Additional $40 Million in US Aid to Syria ’Moderate’ Militants

Local Editor

The United States will pledge an additional $40 million for so-called "moderate" militant groups currently battling the so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] group and the Syrian government in Syria, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Wednesday.

More than half of the funding will be allocated toward helping Syria's "moderate" militant groups "build the capacity of governing," according to Kerry.

US President Barack Obama earlier this month [September] asked the Congress to authorize $500 million to train and arm the militants. Obama has also said it is planning to train and equip militants in order to help the US in its fight against Daesh.

"The "moderate" opposition remains Syria's best hope," Kerry said. "They're the only option for Syria's future that we are prepared to accept."

Additionally, at the United Nations meeting on Wednesday, Britain said it will provide $26 million in funding so that ""moderate" militants consolidate their hold on territory they control," according to Reuters.

Obama, with support from Arab and European allies, has recently this week launched air strikes in Syria a claim he says is to push back the so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] extremist group.

Meanwhile, some countries have criticized the US-led airstrikes, questioning the motives of the US-led bombing campaign in Syria.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team